Ch. 22: Waking to Reality

He awoke with a cry on his lips, choking on the tubes down his throat. Someone leaned over him, mouth moving, forming words. He screamed into the mask and clawed at them, but wires held his hands to the bed. A frantic beeping filled his ears as he thrashed, feeling hands on him. He swatted at them and kicked his legs, felt his feet hit something. Crashing echoed and he screamed again. A needle flashed by his head, injecting something into a bag above him. Within moments, his limbs fell heavy. He let out a defeated whimper as his eyes slid closed, terrified of the dreams to come.

Stacey Johnson watched with tears in her eyes as the man—no, boy—slumped against the hospital bed. Roger Johnson's, her husband, big hands tightened into fists, his shoulders shaking with rage. The doctors exited the room, one rubbing his chest while a nurse bustled around him. Another, Dr. Williams she believed, came to stop next to her, sadness apparent in his eyes.

"He's done this four times now. Unfortunately, every time he wakes up, it's just to another nightmare. The others have done much better. I can't believe this is the work of just one man." The doctor sighed. Johnson ran a trembling hand through his dark hair.

"Is there anything that can be done?" He asked, glancing back at the sleeping man.

"Since he is over eighteen, there is nothing the state can do. It was wonderful that you and your wife were able to take in Jack Delaney, but Jason is twenty-eight. No foster home, even one for trouble children, can take him." Stacey swallowed her outrage and went back to the window.

As much as she hated it, the doctor was right. But, as a social worker, and one specializing in abuse cases, her bleeding heart couldn't allow her to leave Jason behind. According to the case file on Phillip Delaney, Jason was his first child. He never moved out from his father's home, never had a job out from under his father's thumb, and never did anything without his father's approval.

"Johnson, we can't just abandon him. Not after what he went through." She gave her husband watery eyes. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "You said his abuse was more extensive than his brother's?" Dr. Williams nodded, snatching Jason's file out of a box beside his door.

"Yes. Most of it was under his clothing. The gunshot wound, which according to Ms. Audrey Bailey, was inflicted by his mother. Everything else, however, Mr. Delaney caused. When we cut his clothes off, we also found several old suicide scars centralized on his wrists. Most were vertical, not the classic horizontal scars, so it appears Jason was quite serious in his attempts. However, he's only been hospitalized for a broken leg, which happened at school. There are no documented visits to the hospital for suspicious wounds." Williams tucked the file under his arm.

"Quite frankly, Mrs. Johnson, even if he does fully become aware of his surroundings, I don't think adaptation to life without his father is possible. Jack, maybe, but then again, you are in for a long ride with him." Stacey frowned and crossed her arms, hugging herself.

It was a miracle the case had finally ended. Both she and Johnson had been trying for five long, terrible years to bring Phil Delaney to justice, ever since that anonymous call had come in. God, she'd listened to that recording so often she knew every influx of the caller's voice. Now, seeing him fight off his nightmares brought her a new sort of anguish. Never before had a case become so personal, but Jason's pleas, begging her to rescue his brothers, hit her hard.

Not to mention Phil Delaney had hurt her kids as well. God, she hated him. Thankfully, he was dead.

"Stacey?" Johnson grabbed her shoulders and squeezed her to his chest. She leaned against him and sighed.

"We can't leave him alone."

"I know, but there is nothing we can do." Johnson whispered, hugging her tighter. Her frown deepened and, with a quick movement, she extracted herself from his grip, marching towards Jason's door. "Babe?"

She carefully slid around the doorframe and made her way over to the man's bedside. His breathing was hard, labored as if he was in pain. She sat down beside him and cradled Jason's hand. It clenched around hers and he made a soft whimper.

"It's okay now. I promise, no one will hurt you anymore." With a small smile, she held his trembling hand, praying that she wasn't lying.

Jason climbed through the darkness, fighting his way free of the thousand hands gripping him. His father's laughing face appeared in front of him and the fingers tightened around his feet. He wailed loudly, struggling as they dragged him down.

"No, please! Help me! Stop!" He kicked at the hands, clinging to the slimy wall. His nails broke against the stones and, with a loud cry, he slid into their clutches.

"Jason! It's okay! Wake up!" The voice sliced across the hands, forcing them to release him. He scrambled up the wall, a different pair of hands reaching down from the lip of the hole. "It's okay now."

With a gasp, his eyes flashed open, the blinding light of the hospital walls making him squint. He groaned as pain flooded him, centered mostly in his chest.

"Ow…"

"Gunshot wounds hurt, or so I'm told." He jumped at the voice, suddenly becoming aware of the hand clutching his. He glanced over and stared at the smiling woman beside him.

She was roughly his age, give or take a few years, with a narrow face and warm brown eyes. Your typical girl next door aged ten years. Her red hair curled around her cheekbones and jaw, softening her beauty a little.

Jason immediately liked her, for she wasn't blonde and her eyes seemed so kind. He wasn't used to that directed at him.

"Hello, Jason. Do you feel better?" She reached out with her other hand and smoothed back his sweat-dampened hair.

"Who…?" His throat felt dry and he swallowed several times. She seemed to understand and grabbed the glass of water on the bedside table.

"My name is Stacey Johnson. I run a foster home for trouble teenagers." She explained. Still smiling, she helped him take a few cautious sips.

"Why… why would you be talking to me then?"

"Because I want to help you. I'm the social worker you called. You reached out to me. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner." Setting the glass aside, she pressed her hand against his face. "I'm sorry, but I'm here now. It's okay now. He can't hurt you anymore, I promise."

Jason blinked as tears stung his eyes. His lip trembled and, as hard as he fought it, he couldn't make it stop. Stacey wrapped her arms around him, leaning over the bed.

"It'll all be okay. I promise."

"Well, that's the last of them." Leon set the last box down and glanced around the apartment. Ellie sighed beside him and wrapped herself around his big arm.

"I never thought this would happen in a million years." She muttered, her grip tightening. "And after we have been through the past few months."

"Postponing the wedding…. The boys…" Leon's voice dropped and Ellie made a soft noise.

"Oh come on, Pops. We aren't dead. Move out of the way before I drop this footstool thingie." Trevor grunted under the weight of the yellow-brown monstrosity and Leon shuffled around him.

"It's an ottoman, Trevor, not a footstool thingie. Be careful with it! It was a gift from my mother." Audrey hissed, swaying by with a throw pillow.

"That is all you got out of the truck? A pillow?" Trevor scowled at the other man and Audrey chuckled.

"There's nothing left except for the little stuff in the car. But Chase and Gus have those." He plopped the pillow on the couch, examining how it looked.

"I heard my name." Trevor turned as Gus limped in, several small items tucked under his arm.

"Yeah, I was saying your boyfriend grabbed one pillow and called it a day. I think Chase got more than him." Trevor huffed, frowning at the other. Audrey stuck his tongue out at him and went to Gus's side, cuddling up against him.

"Don't lump me with Audrey." Chase pouted, coming into the apartment. Trevor smiled at the small blonde, who laid several articles of clothes over the back of the couch. He returned the grin and held out one hand. Trevor took it and pulled him to his side, hugging him tight.

Ellie giggled. "Well, boys, I guess Leon and I should let you guys unpack. Are the four of you going to be okay?"

"We should be fine, Ms. Ellie." Audrey replied, patting Gus's shoulder. The big teen collapsed on the couch, carefully stretching out one leg.

It had been six months since the "Incident". They had all graduated, with some summer classes needed, and were trying to move on with their lives. Now, that Phil and Debra were dead, Chase seemed lighter, less terrified of his shadow. The nightmares had lessened finally and most of the wounds had sealed. Only Gus still limped, but he would have that for the rest of his life.

"Are you sure? Fridge is filled, washer and dryer set up, and you have all the cleaners you guys need?" Leon ticked the list off on his fingers. Chase sighed and elbowed him.

"We're fine, Dad." Leon sniffed and hugged the boy hard. Chase laughed lightly, squeezing him back.

"Okay, well, then… Have a fun time here. I'll miss you guys at home."

"Yeah, but you have another one on the way." Trevor pointed to Ellie's round belly. "Which is slightly disturbing considering your oldest is graduated." His mother laughed and patted her belly.

"Yes, I know, but we didn't expect that to happen." Leon smoothed a hand over his wife's stomach, smiling to himself.

"Eck. Okay, you guys. We're fine. I love you, Mom. Love you too, Pops. Get going." Trevor gave Ellie a tight hug, which she happily returned.

"You call me if you need anything, okay?"

"I will, sheesh." With several more hugs and a few tears from Ellie, the parents finally left. Trevor flopped onto the loveseat, Chase tucking himself against him.

"Well, we're on our own now." Gus said, patting his good knee. Audrey perched on it, wrapped his arms around his neck.

"College starts in the fall. What are you doing now that you can't wrestle?" Chase asked. Gus sighed and tilted his head back.

"I think I'm going into Sports Medicine. That way, I'm still a part of sports, since I can't play anymore." Audrey kissed his nose.

"That's a wonderful idea. I'll continue my business degree and you Trevor?"

"I don't know yet. Chase?"

"I want to be a vet. Animals don't hurt people on purpose, so I like that." Chase stretched out beside Trevor and smiled.

"Our new life begins today."

"It's going to be hard." Gus reminded, but Trevor laughed.

"Dude, I think we, of all people, can handle it."

"College is a piece of cake." Audrey waved his hands around. Chase stared up at the ceiling, his smile widening.

"Yeah… This might actually start being fun."

Don't worry! There is an epilogue! I promise everyone will get the lovely Trevor/Chase smex you've been so patiently waiting for. But! That will be the last chapter of LoaB. However, the Delaney's aren't done yet! Jason and Jack are still hurting an awful lot. I will be posting a poll asking you guys which of the two Delaney brothers should come next. And don't worry. This isn't that last of Audrey, Gus, and Kyle either. The epilogue will be coming soon!

Love you guys!